Birds of Prey (Volume 3) Issue 20
Synopsis "The Cruelest Cut" Black Canary is kicking herself after being faced with the discovery that she and the other Birds of Prey have been betrayed by Starling. She partnered with Mister Freeze, sending phoney ultimatums to them, demanding that they bring Strix to the place she was created - but it was a ploy. She merely wanted Strix and the others to lead her to the Court of Owls lab, where Talons are revived. Canary keeps Starling talking, who reveals that she has been indebted to Freeze for some time, while Batgirl attempts to free Strix from a block of ice with a laser. Starling claims that they are all on the same side. She has teamed with Freeze in order to prevent the Court of Owls from misusing his work, and though Strix may be an exception, the Talons and the Court are enemies to them all. Meanwhile, the Court's scientists attempt to make a break for it, sending everyone into conflict as Canary and Condor attempt to prevent Freeze from getting to them, and Batgirl engages in physical combat with Starling. Unfortunately, Condor and Canary wind up trapped behind a massive wall of ice, surviving only because Freeze had promised not to kill them. Dinah explains that she can't use her Canary Cry to break through the wall, lest she lose control, and the ice kills everyone like shrapnel. Condor suggests that he can help her, but she decides it's best to use standard explosives. Meanwhile, the Court's scientists call back to their Grandmaster to report that the defective Talon has returned to the lab and brought a team with her. The Grandmaster is intrigued by Mary Turner's return, and orders them to ensure that she doesn't leave. He hangs up on them just as Freeze bursts into the hallway, and closes the way behind him. He expresses his anger that they have used his life's work to benefit themselves, and they respond that it was their brilliance that added the regenerative ability to the Talons. Freeze knows this, and now, he wants them to tell him what the secret to that ability is. After Freeze kills one of the scientists, the other reveals that the key is the alloy electrum. Having got what he wanted, Freeze calls back to Evelyn, and she decides it's time to leave. Still enraged by the betrayal, Black Canary chases her down the hallways, and becomes so angry that she can't prevent the scream from welling up inside her. The scream's power propels Evelyn forward, and brings the roof down in front of Dinah, who is spared only by Condor's dragging her to safety. Fortunately, there is another way out. Condor uses the last of the explosives to blast out a door for them, while Canary carefully uses her cry once more to free Strix from the ice. While Batgirl carries her silent friend to safety, Canary and Condor team to chase down Freeze. Unfortunately, once Batgirl gets Strix outside, they are confronted by another Talon. Appearances "The Cruelest Cut" Individuals *Birds of Prey **Strix **Condor **Batgirl **Black Canary *Starling *Mister Freeze *Court of Owls **John Wycliffe *Talon (Calvin Rose) Locations *Gotham City Links *http://www.dccomics.com/comics/birds-of-prey-2011/birds-of-prey-20 *http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Birds_of_Prey_Vol_3_20 *http://www.comicvine.com/birds-of-prey-20-the-cruelest-cut/4000-402241/ Birds of Prey (Volume 3) Issue 20